Anti-idling signs installed across Brighton

Signs advising drivers to switch off their engines while stationary, are being installed in the city of Brighton and Hove this week, in a bid to tackle air pollution.

Around 35 ‘Cut engine – Cut pollution’ signs are being fixed around Brighton & Hove’s Air Quality Management Areas — mainly in the city centre but also outside the Royal Sussex County Hospital, and in Rottingdean and South Portslade.

Brighton and Hove council is installing road signs in 35 locations to encourage drivers to switch off their engines when stationary

The signs, which are being supplied by The Sussex Air Quality Partnership, advise drivers to switch off their engines if waiting for more than a minute.

The aim of the signs is to encourage drivers to avoid ‘idling’ (leaving their engine running while the vehicle is stationary) to help reduce pollution across Brighton & Hove, according to the local authority.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee, said: “Vehicle fumes damage both health and the local environment. Switching off engines could make a big difference to pollution levels in the city and help to reduce the risk of asthma, heart disease and lung cancer for our residents and visitors.”

Councils are increasingly taking action to address engine idling, including Westminster city council which has promoted a campaign titled #Don’tBeIdle to tackle the issue. Other London councils, as well as Sheffield city council have also explored measures to address engine idling, including the potential use of fines to deter persistent idlers.